I can remember, as a little girl, how long a year seemed. From January to December felt like an eternity. Now, as an adult, a year flies by in the blink of an eye.

In 2008…Aidan will turn 3. Ryan’s deployment will be up and he’ll come home. I will FINALLY finish my teacher certification. Aidan will start preschool. Ryan will attend OCS. I will start teaching.

I’m not really one for resolutions…it makes me feel too bad when I don’t follow through. So, I look to what WILL happen in the new year and silently harbor positive thoughts about what can happen as a result of what will happen.

Happy New Year, my friends. I hope it is as full of promise as ours is!

I’ve been doing some searching and perusing and I’m not finding many fabrics in my new favorite color combination. 😦 Late last night I had a brainstorm…why not buy navy and white fabrics and then dye them? So here are some fabrics I’m thinking might work to dye.

Does anyone have any experience dyeing fabrics that can give me some pointers?

We’re still visiting family but I couldn’t stay away from here for too long. I left my cable at home so I don’t have any Christmas photos to upload yet.

I am, however, completely inspired by the color combination I’m seeing in the new lines out at Baby Gap. Pink and blue is such a fun, girly/nautical look. With giftcards from my mom and stepdad I got Aidan an adorable pink top with big graphic navy blue daisies and a matching khaki skirt with pink and blue embroidered daisies (sorry, no pics online yet). I wish more of this line were online right now but here’s some of what is really catching my eye and inspiring me for the coming spring (which, lets face it, in the South is coming quicker than I’d like to admit!)

LOVING these Wellies…good for my pocketbook they don’t come in Aidan’s size!

So now I’m on the prowl for some fun, bold, graphic pink and navy prints for the spring. If anyone knows of any and can point me in the right direction I would be very appreciative!

I’ve thrown up my hands…I’m done. The doll is made but is partially bald and naked so she won’t be making the trip with us. I have to finish packing, get the cat ready to go and get to bed so we can get moving bright and early tomorrow.

To all of you, I’ve loved every minute of getting to know you and experiencing this wonderful community we’re building. I wish you all the happiest of holidays, safe travels, and the warmest wishes for the New Year. I know 2008 holds a lot of new and great things for us, I hope it does for you as well.

I saw this little meme over on Wise Craft. I’m altering mine a bit from hers because I don’t really frequent Flickr all that often.

Favorite Christmas Movie: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. I LOVE the fit Clark throws when his boss cuts out the bonuses and gives him a Jelly of the Month club membership. I crack up laughing every time I see it.

Current Favorite Song: Bubbly by Colbie Caillat. This song just makes me happy when I hear it. Speaking of songs, I think it should be illegal to play “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”. ESPECIALLY the Josh Groban version that has soldiers sending messages home. At the end there’s a little girl talking to her deployed Daddy telling him that “Mommy, Bella and I are wrapping presents.” Our cat is named Bella. The first time I heard that I just sat and cried and cried.

Favorite Christmas Dessert: I have no idea what it’s called but I adore this dessert. Last time I had it was a bit of a disaster, though. My mom burnt the crust 3 times and then accidentally used banana pudding instead of vanilla. Hopefully it turns out better this year.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup whipping cream

1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 1/2 cups milk

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 1/2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. In a small bowl, mix together flour and white sugar. Add chopped nuts, if desired. Stur in melteed butter or margarine until all ingredients are combined. Press mixture into a 9×13 inch pan.

I’m currently making eye/sleep masks but have sort of lost interest in them when I looked at them and noticed that they look a lot like maxi-pads, except pink and black. Maybe no one else will notice?

I’ve run out of wrapping paper and have NO urge to go out into the world tomorrow to get more. I’m taking what I have left to wrap to my mom’s and finish wrapping it all there.

Aidan is WAY into Chrismtas lights this year. This evening after she finished her dinner we went for a drive through post where the officers live to look at the lights. She LOVED seeing them and kept asking to see “just one more lights, Mama?” We saw some really pretty displays. I hate the inflatable things that are popular this year. So cheesy. We did a cute one of Santa in camouflage…only on an Army post! 🙂

I finally finished my major sewing project for the holidays. I made matching nightgowns for my daughter and niece. I chose fabric called “Lonestar Christmas” because they’re both Texas girls (Aidan was born there, Kaelyn wasn’t but we put her feet in Texas soil, that I brought with me to KY, soon after she was born). The red fabric I used on the skirt has ropes, sheriff’s stars, holly, Christmas trees, cowboys riding bucking broncos, wagon wheels, arrows and spurs along with the words “Lonestar” written in rope. The aqua fabric on the sleeves and yoke has a small bandanna/paisley motif in red as well as holly and white stars. I love the color combination and with both girls having blue eyes, I think the blue will bring out their eyes. I used Butterick 4647, view A.

I’m pleased with how they came together…I just need to work faster! I’ve had this fabric since friggin’ OCTOBER! I had all these plans of getting done early. What is it they say…”the best laid plans of mice and men”? But, they’re done and that’s all that matters.

This weekend I’m working on eyemasks and crayon rolls and aprons…maybe a doll, depending on my energy level. We shall see.

So everyone and their dog has made gift tags so I decided to make some myself. I made these to go on my packages. I’m going in a lime green and red color motif so the ones I’ve seen around the internet wouldn’t work for me. Hope you enjoy! Leave me a comment and let me know if you use them!

Man, I guess everyone is busy with their holiday preparations because it’s awfully empty around here!

I was a busy little elf this weekend. Aidan spent the day with our pastor’s family. Their oldest daughter is just crazy about Aidan and she her so they had a good old time. During that time, I wrapped presents like there was no tomorrow. I got all of the gifts going to Colorado wrapped and boxed up ready to go. Now I need to finish wrapping the Texas gifts and get them boxed up and ready to ship.

Brown paper packages tied up with string…these are a few of my favorite things.

Today after church, Aidan and I made a gingerbread house. Well, that is to say, we assembled and decorated a gingerbread house…there was no actual baking involved.

Bowls of candy and my baby’s cute little pudgy hand

Sticking the candy on the spots where I put the “glue”. She did pretty well not eating the candy…until the end. It’s amazing she could go to sleep with all the sugar that’s in her system. (Yes, my child has a serious case of bed head.)

The finished house…and Aidan with a mouthful of candy.

I think maybe we’ll make this a tradition. She really seemed to enjoy doing it. I had a hard time getting the house built (needed an extra set of adult hands) but it’ll be easier when Daddy is here.

Tomorrow I have to get a box shipped to Colorado, another shipped to Iraq and another to Alaska (which reminds me I need to wrap 1 more gift for my dad.) I also have my niece’s nightgown to finish, 2 more crayon rolls to make and a bunch of gifts to wrap that I need to ship to Houston ahead of us. I had wanted to make Aidan a doll but 1) she has a store-bought doll that my MIL bought her that she adores and 2) I’m running out of time and have never made a doll before. So, I’m leaning towards cutting that off my list. I also wanted to make eye masks as stocking stuffers but that might get cut too. I’m pretty much at the point where I have to do what I can get done.